FEATURES
28 COVER STORY
Zero Tolerance
for Never Events
Can we get to zero? Yes,
experts say it can be done.
Jim Burger | Associate Editor
40 How to Avoid Hospital-
Acquired Conditions
Advice on preventing retained objects, pressure ulcers, SSIs and falls.
Beverly Kirchner, RN, BSN, CNOR, CASC
47 Overcome the Obstacles
In Online Pre-Admissions
Early adopters share what they’ve learned.
Jim Burger | Associate Editor
53 Equip Your ORs for Sharps Safety
Safety-engineered sharps
and trays provide passing protection.
David Bernard | Senior Associate Editor
62 Can Ventral Hernia Surgery Be Profitable?
Facility leaders say it starts
with communication and cost control.
Jim Burger | Associate Editor
68 See It Now: Advances in GI Visualization
Recent innovations are bringing everything into sharper focus.
Jim Burger | Associate Editor
75 Beware the Biofilm
The microscopic residue of surgery and exams can cause big-time problems.
Michelle J. Alfa, PhD, FCCM
82 The Unintended Consequences
Of Unintended Hypothermia
Warming’s not just about patient comfort. There
are very real threats in even mild hypothermia.
Theresa Criscitelli, EdD(c), RN, CNOR
89 How We’re Pushing the
Outpatient Spine Envelope
Six ways you can innovate to perform bigger cases with better outcomes.
Robert S. Bray Jr., MD
100 How Healthcare Reform
is Reshaping Surgery
Efficiency and versatility define the Obamacare OR.
David Bernard | Senior Associate Editor
106 Making The Case for Reposables
Limited-use instruments and
devices save money and prevent waste.
Daniel Cook | Executive Editor
113 Airway Disaster Averted
How to avoid losing airways — and how to save
the day when something goes wrong.
Dan O’Connor | Editor-in-Chief